The Bombay High Court on Tuesday set aside the conviction and death sentence of a man in a 2017 rape and murder case, ordering a fresh trial after finding that he was not given proper legal representation during the earlier proceedings, reported the PTI. A division bench of Justices Sarang Kotwal and Sandesh Patil said that while the crime was "horrific and grave"and the 7-year-old victim's family was still waiting for justice, the accused could not be denied his "fundamental right to a fair trial," as reported by PTI. Lack of legal representation The court noted that the accused was not represented by a lawyer at crucial stages of the trial. From the framing of charges to the examination of key witnesses, he had no legal assistance. The accused had informed the trial court that he could not afford a lawyer and requested legal aid, but no counsel was provided. This, the High Court said, amounted to a clear violation of his fundamental rights. The judges observed that denying legal aid to someone entitled to it led to a “miscarriage of justice.” The bench also criticised the special POCSO court in Nashik for rushing through the trial. While acknowledging that the case was serious and required speedy handling, the court said this could not come at the cost of fairness. “Expediting a trial is important, but not at the expense of the principles of a fair trial,” the court remarked as reported by PTI. Fresh trial to be completed within 10 months The High Court has now sent the case back to the lower court for a retrial. It directed that all necessary precautions be taken to ensure that the proceedings are fair to both the prosecution and the accused. The court also instructed that the new trial be completed within ten months. Background of the case According to the prosecution, the incident took place in April 2017. The accused allegedly asked the seven-year-old girl to buy tobacco for him and chocolates for herself. When she later went to his house, he allegedly raped and killed her. In May 2019, a Nashik court convicted the man and sentenced him to death for murder under the Indian Penal Code, along with life imprisonment under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. While granting relief to the accused, the High Court also acknowledged the long wait for justice faced by the victim’s family. The judges noted that due to the flawed trial, justice had been delayed for nearly nine years. “This is a case where till today justice was not given to the victim and her family,” the court observe as per PTI. The ruling highlights the importance of due process, emphasising that even in the most serious cases, the right to a fair trial remains fundamental. (With PTI Inputs)
24 March,2026 03:51 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Thane Police in Maharashtra have arrested a 26-year-old man for allegedly bludgeoning his neighbour to death in Ulhasnagar area, officials said, adding that the cops were probing the motive behind the killing, reported the PTI. The incident took place on Monday afternoon in the Ulhasnagar area of Thane district, they said. Both the accused and the victim lived in the same locality, though the motive behind the attack was yet to be established, said an official. The attack According to police, the accused—identified as Pappy, also known as Shubham Arjun Patil—along with an unidentified accomplice, intercepted the victim, Pravin Ashik Varma (28), near Birla Gate, as per the PTI. They allegedly attacked him using stones and bricks, resulting in his death at the scene. Investigation According to the PTI, following a complaint lodged by the victim’s brother, a First Information Report (FIR) was registered under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Section 103(1) for murder and Section 3(5) relating to common intention. Police teams responded promptly, sending the body to a government hospital for a post-mortem examination, the news agency reported. The main accused has been taken into custody, while efforts are ongoing to trace and apprehend the second suspect allegedly involved in the crime. Drinking session spirals into murder over a minor food dispute in Goregaon Meanwhile, in an another incident, two men allegedly smashed their friend’s head with a rock during a drunken altercation after a fried fish the trio had planned to eat with alcohol was gobbled up by a rat. The details emerged during a probe by the Vanrai police, who cracked the case and arrested the accused, Shashipal alias Suresh Kaliya, 44, and Rajesh Ramesh Nath alias Salim Nepali, 30. The former and latter were nabbed from Haryana and Pathanwadi in Malad East, respectively. PSI Indrajit Bhise, along with his detection team, cracked the case under the guidance of DCP Mahesh Chimte and senior inspector Grish Bane of the Vanrai police station, officials said. According to the police, on February 24, the Vanrai police got a call about an unconscious man lying near a garbage dump in Hanuman Tekdi, Goregaon East After the cops reached the spot, the man was taken to the hospital, but was declared dead before admission The presence of multiple skull fractures raised suspicions, and a murder case was registered on March 10. Nepali was traced and arrested on March 11. During his interrogation, Kaliya’s identity was revealed thanks to CCTV footage from a shop where he had once bought beer, officials said. (with PTI inputs)
24 March,2026 12:18 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentPolice have registered a case against a 58-year-old man for allegedly raping a 10-year-old girl in Maharashtra’s Thane district, officials said on Tuesday. According to PTI, the incident reportedly took place between December 2025 and February this year, when the accused allegedly lured the minor to his house in Bhiwandi’s Nizampura area. Based on a complaint filed by the victim’s family, police on Sunday registered a case against the accused under Sections 64 (rape) and 74 (assault or criminal force to a woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, he said. No reason was specified for the delay in filing the complaint by the victim’s family. Nashik police custody holds godman accused in multiple sexual exploitation cases The arrest of ‘self-proclaimed godman’ from Nashik Ashok Kharat was a proactive move by the police, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said. The CM stated that authorities used a complaint from another district to issue a Look-Out Circular (LOC), ensuring that Kharat could not flee. Fadnavis stated that will make a “detailed statement” in this case today. The CM further noted that misleading women by claiming supernatural powers and subjecting them to psychological manipulation are extremely serious aspects of the case. Last week, following a complaint of sexual exploitation by a woman, Kharat was arrested by the Nashik police. The state government has since constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by IPS officer Tejaswini Satpute, to probe the case. The case Ashok Kharat, a self-proclaimed godman from Nashik, has been booked in multiple cases of sexual exploitation registered in the Nashik district. He was arrested on March 18 following a case registered based on a complaint filed by a woman who accused him of repeated rape over a period of three years. Investigators also found multiple videos featuring women on a pendrive in his possession. He is currently in police custody. Political links Followers of the self-proclaimed godman reportedly include politicians cutting across party lines, with pictures of leaders from various parties visiting Ashok Kharat surfacing and circulating widely on social media. (With inputs from PTI)
24 March,2026 11:45 AM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentA triple-seat motorcycle journey turned fatal near Aarey in the early hours of March 20, claiming two lives and leaving one youth critically injured. According to police sources, the accident occurred around 4.50 am, barely 100 metres before Aarey police station near the Unit No. 32 bus stop. For the past week, the trio, who were close friends, had been working as welders at a fabrication site in Goregaon East. They were returning home to Sakinaka after finishing work at 4.30 am, when the accident occurred. The two deceased have been identified as Hafiz and Sher Khan, while Altaf Shabbir Khan is in critical condition. Scene after crash The bike ridden by the trio Passersby rushed to help as a crowd gathered at the scene. Police arrived shortly after and shifted the injured to Trauma Care Hospital in Jogeshwari. Altaf was later moved to a private hospital in Sakinaka, where he is currently undergoing treatment for injuries to his knee and face. Meanwhile, Hafiz and Sher Khan succumbed to their injuries during treatment. Reason for crash Hafiz, who was riding the bike, allegedly drove at high speed and lost control near the Unit No. 32 bus stop. The motorcycle first rammed into the bus stop structure and then crashed into a shed made of metal sheets along road, causing a devastating impact. Police action “Based on Altaf’s statement, Aarey police have registered a case against the deceased rider Hafiz for rash and negligent driving,” said an officer from Arey police station. During the investigation, based on CCTV footage and witness statements, it was revealed that the motorcycle was being driven at a very high speed. The accident occurred at a sharp curve in the road, due to which the rider lost control of the bike, leading to the crash. The investigation is ongoing, he added. Mar 20Day the accident occurred
24 March,2026 08:33 AM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanA 19-year-old MBBS student lost her iPhone 16 outside Sion Hospital, but what made the case tricky was this: she never saw the thief. On February 27, around 12.40 pm, she had stepped into a stationery shop near Gate No. 7 on Bhau Daji Road after lunch with friends. Within minutes, her device, kept in her pocket, vanished. With no accused, no description, and a crowded public location, the case began as a blind investigation by the Sion police. (From left to right) PSI Kiran Bhosle and API Dattaray Khade travel by train from Mumbai to West Bengal. PICS/BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT But it wasn’t an isolated theft. Four days earlier, a 26-year-old doctor at Nair Hospital had reported an almost identical incident. Around 9.45 am, while walking through the OPD building passage, her iPhone 16, kept in her apron pocket, was stolen without her noticing. The Agripada police had begun a parallel probe. Sensing a pattern, Zone IV of the Mumbai Police, under the direction of Deputy Commissioner of Police Ragasudha R, formed a special team to crack the case. The investigation As police officers scanned multiple CCTV camera feeds, tracking suspicious movement rather than the act itself, a trail began to emerge — one that led them to Andheri. There, at a small lodge, police identified the suspects’ hideout and pieced together their movements. The cops learnt that the accused had flown into Mumbai from West Bengal days before the theft at Nair Hospital, stayed at the lodge, executed the thefts, and exited the city just as swiftly, via the connecting flights from Mumbai to Siliguri and then Kolkata. Members of the police team who cracked the case The strike The team, led by Senior Police Inspector Anant Salunke of Sion police station, along with Crime PI Sanjay Jagtap and officers including PSI Kiran Bhosle, API Dattaray Khade and PSI Atul Thombare, launched a coordinated technical and field probe. PSI Bhosle, who spent nearly 10 days in West Bengal tracking the accused, said, “There were more than three of them” In West Bengal Based on technical leads, the police team first traced the trail to Asansol, then Kolkata, and eventually to Kaliachak, a community development block in West Bengal’s Malda district. “The notoriety of Kaliachak is that illegal activities take place there openly,” said Crime PI Sanjay Jagtap. “One of the main hubs is a ‘chor bazaar’ for high-end mobile phones, where stolen devices are sold.” But the probe revealed a deeper network. “To our surprise, the stolen phones were not just sold within the village. They were being routed to the Indo-Bangladesh border, close to Kaliachak,” Jagtap added. Gruelling hunt The police team faced harsh conditions while operating in Malda. Continuous showers and poor public transport made movement difficult. There were days when officers were on the ground for hours, carrying out recce and human intelligence gathering, surviving on minimal food and sleep. At one point, members of the team remained awake for over four days as they tracked the accused across locations. The detention After days of surveillance and a cat-and-mouse chase, the police team managed to detain one accused, Tipu Sultan, 34, who was the “phone lifter”. “It’s a well-coordinated operation,” said PSI Bhosle. “There are handlers, instructors, recce men, and pickpockets who execute the theft on the ground. Sultan is the one who stole the phones, while his brother, Salman Shaikh, was the handler. The latter is absconding.” The search is on for other gang members. The ‘business model’ of gang According to the police, the gang would spend around Rs 14,000 to Rs 16,000 on flight tickets to reach Mumbai, and another Rs 5000 or more on lodge stays. “They specifically targeted high-end mobile phones, typically priced between Rs 80,000 and Rs 1.5 lakh, which were later sold near the Indo-Bangladesh border,” an officer said. Timeline Feb 23 Theft at Nair HospitalFeb 27 Theft at Sion HospitalMarch 1 Accused leave Mumbai with lootMarch 9 Police team reaches West Bengal following technical analysisMarch 16 Accused Tipu Sultan is traced and arrestedMarch 17 One team returns to Mumbai with the accused on transit remandMarch 20 Remaining officers, including PSI Kiran Bhosle, return after continuing the probe
23 March,2026 09:28 AM IST | Mumbai | Aishwarya IyerA thief who allegedly stole jewellery worth Rs 8 lakh from an Andheri East home last year was nabbed after he tried to strike the same house again last month. According to the complainant and MIDC police, the accused was employed as a domestic helper at another flat in the same building, giving him easy access to the premises. Investigators allege that the accused, Parshuram Mandal, 43, first targeted the home after noticing accumulated flower deliveries. Following this, police believe Mandal gained entry on two instances using a key that he may have either cloned from a spare left with Mandal’s employer or had chanced upon. “Mandal feigned innocence to evade suspicion. He has even deceived the court this way to get bail,” alleged a police officer. The investigation Investigators stated that after the first incident, they suspected women domestic helpers were the culprits, but after examining footage from a Wi-Fi camera installed in the flat following the initial theft, they arrested Mandal and requested the court twice to remand him in police custody. Following this, during a crime scene recreation, the accused failed to justify his actions and confessed to the crime. “We have recovered the stolen items from the jeweller to whom the accused had sold them after the theft,” stated a police inspector from the MIDC police station. Case overview >> First theft occurred between December 3 and December 6, 2025>> The thief entered without breaking in, stole valuables and got out, leaving all things as they were, which delayed the complainant’s realisation of the theft>> FIR was registered on January 12, 2026>> Complainant installed a Wi-Fi camera before leaving the city>> The family received a human entry warning when they were out of town and notified the MIDC police>> The intruder, who didn’t steal anything, was identified through camera footage, traced, and nabbed on February 6 Modus operandi >> He didn’t steal from his employer>> Instead, he used his access to the building premises to recce other flats>> He would gain information about residents’ schedules and travel plans before setting his target Accused snapshot Name: Parshuram MandalAge: 43Occupation: Domestic help House theft complaints registered against him:>> 2011 (Goregaon) >> 2015 (Bandra) Jan 12Day FIR was registered
23 March,2026 09:08 AM IST | Mumbai | Sarthak MehtaA truck carrying oxygen cylinders overturned on the Bhiwandi-Wada Road in Thane district in Maharashtra on Saturday, leaving the driver seriously injured, police said, reported the PTI. The accident occurred near Dugad Phata. According to police, the vehicle lost balance while passing through a stretch affected by potholes and uneven surfaces due to incomplete road concretisation work. The truck veered off the road before overturning, an official said. “The driver sustained grievous injuries and was rushed to a nearby hospital,” the official added. No other injuries were reported in the incident. Cylinders remain safe Despite the impact, the oxygen cylinders being transported remained intact, preventing any further risk. Residents said accidents have become more frequent on this stretch due to its poor condition, with unfinished roadwork and potholes posing a serious hazard to motorists. Three killed in hit-and-run on Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway Meanwhile, in an another incident, three persons travelling on a motorcycle were killed when their two-wheeler was hit by another vehicle on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway in Maharashtra's Palghar district on Saturday, police said, reported the PTI. The accident took place at Waghoba Khind in the Dhekale area under the jurisdiction of Manor police station, an official said. A vehicle hit a two-wheeler carrying three individuals. The impact was so severe that all three riders died at the scene. The driver of the vehicle sped away, he said. "The bodies have been shifted to the Manor Rural Hospital for post-mortem. The victims are yet to be identified," the official said, according to the PTI. A case has been registered, and efforts are being made to identify the other vehicle involved in the crash, he said. "The police are also scanning CCTV footage from nearby toll booths to track down the driver who fled the spot," the official added. Traffic jam on Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway In an another incident, traffic on the busy Mumbai-Ahmedabad National Highway was thrown out of gear for several hours on Saturday following a major pile-up involving four vehicles in Maharashtra's Palghar district, police said, reported the PTI. The accident, which involved a container truck, a tempo, and two cars, took place around noon in the Sasupada area of Vasai. The vehicles crashed into each other and sustained significant damage, but no one was reported injured, said a police official. (with PTI inputs)
22 March,2026 02:05 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentThe Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized walkie-talkie sets and second-hand hard disk drives (HDDs) collectively valued at Rs 9.25 crore at Nhava Sheva Port in Navi Mumbai, officials said, reported the PTI. They said that 11,060 prohibited walkie-talkie sets and second-hand hard disk drives were seized during an operation. The owners of two Mumbai-based firms involved in the imports — a father and son — have been arrested under the Customs Act for bringing in the goods without the required permissions. Acting on specific intelligence, DRI officials recovered Baofeng BF-888S walkie-talkies worth Rs 2.50 crore and second-hand HDDs valued at Rs 6.75 crore, according to the PTI. The prohibited items were hidden among miscellaneous electronic goods worth Rs 21 crore. Entire consignment seized Officials said that the full consignment, valued at Rs 30.25 crore and shipped from China in eight containers, was seized due to misdeclaration, as per the PTI. The walkie-talkies have been blacklisted by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) as they operate beyond permitted frequencies and can be used for unauthorised communication, posing potential national security risks, the news agency reported. Such devices require specific licences for import and use. E-waste import restrictions Second-hand HDDs are classified as e-waste and cannot be imported without prior approval from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), officials added, the news agency reported. Mumbai Police seize Rs 16 lakh fake Apple accessories in Ghatkopar Meanwhile, Mumbai Police has seized a large quantity of counterfeit mobile accessories in Ghatkopar, officials said. According to the police, during a raid, authorities seized fake products worth approximately Rs 16.33 lakh and filed cases against six shopkeepers allegedly involved in the operation. The crackdown followed intelligence reports that several shops in Ghatkopar East were selling fake Apple accessories as original items. Police teams focused on the Patel Chowk and Niloyog Mall areas, where these products were reportedly being sold openly. To ensure swift action, police formed six separate teams and conducted simultaneous raids across different locations. This prevented the accused from escaping and allowed authorities to recover a large quantity of counterfeit goods. The seized items included mobile chargers, adapters, USB cables, mobile covers, back panels, earphones, Air-Pods, and batteries. Officials noted that the products closely resembled genuine Apple accessories, making it difficult for customers to distinguish between real and fake items. The six accused have been booked under Sections 51 and 63 of the Copyright Act. The seized goods have been sealed and sent for further examination, while police continue to investigate and track other individuals linked to the racket. Officials emphasised that similar drives against counterfeit products will continue across Mumbai to protect consumers and curb the illegal sale of fake branded goods. (With PTI and IANS Inputs)
22 March,2026 12:06 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Colaba police have arrested an absconding accused who had been on the run for 28 years in connection with a major armed robbery case registered at Colaba police station. The accused, Mukesh Shivraj Sanghi, 58, was wanted in a 1999 robbery at the office of SKP Financer in Colaba, South Mumbai. An FIR had been registered under Sections 397, 395, 411, 414, and 452 of the Indian Penal Code, along with relevant provisions of the Arms Act. As per the sources, three people were involved in the crime, but only Sanghi has been arrested so far. According to police officials, Sanghi, along with his accomplices, had barged into the finance company’s office and, at gunpoint and using sharp weapons, looted R25.96 lakh before fleeing. He remained absconding since then and was later declared a proclaimed offender by the 34th Sessions Court in Mumbai for failing to appear for trial. Investigations revealed that Sanghi had vacated his residence years ago, making it difficult to trace him. His involvement in another case registered in Satara led police to suspect he had moved to Hyderabad.
22 March,2026 08:16 AM IST | Mumbai | Ruchita ShahIn a significant breakthrough, the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF), in coordination with the Mumbai Crime Branch on Saturday arrested a 23-year-old accused from Agra in connection with the firing outside filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s residence in Juhu. The accused, Pradeep Sharma alias Golu, had been absconding since the February 1 incident, allegedly carried out at the behest of the notorious Shubham Lonkar gang to create panic and assert dominance. Firing incident aimed at creating panic According to police, unidentified shooters opened fire outside Shetty Tower in Juhu on the night of February 1, targeting the filmmaker’s residence. “The attack was meant to send a strong message to the film industry, businessmen, and the public,” officials said. Joint operation leads to arrest Acting on technical inputs and surveillance, the Mumbai Police sought assistance from the UP STF. A joint team tracked Sharma to Mahavir Nagar in Agra, where he was arrested on Saturday after attempting to evade capture. Social media influence and gang links During interrogation, Sharma told police he was influenced by the gang’s posts on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. He was allegedly encouraged by his associate Shivam Dubey to get involved. Investigations further revealed that co-accused, including Vishnu Kushwaha and Deepak, played key roles, with Deepak allegedly carrying out the firing after travelling to Mumbai. Further investigation underway Police said several accused were arrested earlier in February, while Sharma had been on the run. He has now been handed over to the Mumbai Crime Branch for further legal action. A case was registered by the Mumbai Crime Branch under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Arms Act, and Maharashtra Police Act.
21 March,2026 07:34 PM IST | Mumbai | Aishwarya IyerA 29-year-old woman was allegedly beaten to death by her husband in Mumbai’s Wadala area following a dispute over his alcohol consumption, police said on Saturday, reported news agency IANS. The accused, identified as Mahesh Narayan Wad, was arrested after initially fleeing the scene, reported IANS. Brutal assault leads to woman’s death The victim, Kavita Mahesh Wad, was allegedly assaulted by her husband using kicks and punches during an argument at their residence in Ganesh Nagar near a local temple in Wadala, reported IANS. Police said the accused also threw a mobile phone at her, causing serious injuries. She was later rushed to KEM Hospital, where she died during treatment. Delay in medical aid worsened condition Authorities said the victim did not receive immediate medical attention, which may have contributed to the severity of her condition, reported IANS. Kavita reportedly lost consciousness at home before being taken to the hospital. Post-mortem reveals severe injuries The post-mortem examination found multiple injuries on her body, including black-and-blue marks, indicating sustained physical assault, reported IANS. Case registered, accused arrested A case of murder has been registered against the accused at Wadala Police Station under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Following the complaint, police formed two teams to trace the accused, who had gone into hiding. He was later arrested from a relative’s residence, reported IANS. Complaint filed by victim’s brother The complaint was lodged by Kavita’s brother, Shubham Ramesh Lodi, a resident of Navi Mumbai. Police said the couple had frequent disputes, allegedly due to the accused’s alcohol addiction. Investigation underway Officials said further investigation is in progress to establish all circumstances surrounding the incident, reported IANS. The case has once again highlighted concerns over domestic violence and the need for timely intervention in such disputes. Labourer held for stabbing to death man in Badlapur fish market In another case, a labourer was arrested in the early hours of Friday for allegedly murdering a man in a fish market in Badlapur East in Thane district, a police official said. Dhirajkumar Babulal Baiga (35) stabbed to death Subodh Kumar (in his late 30s) at around 8pm on Thursday, he added. Baiga was arrested some hours later at 2am, the Badlapur East police station official said. The motive of the crime is yet to be ascertained, he said, adding Baiga is being interrogated. (With inputs from IANS)
21 March,2026 02:43 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
-1774345145610_d.png?tr=w-436,h-271 "Bombay High Court. File Pic")
